I'm pulling my hair out with this problem now - please help!!

So I fitted coilovers a couple of weeks ago. Initially I had it set about 60cm from floor to top of wheel arch but I was getting really bad vibration so I would the coils up about another 10mm. The suspension settled down over a few days so it ended up back where it was so I wound it back up another 10mm. The vibration has pretty much gone now - still appears around 25mph and sometimes a bit higher under full load but not unliveable with.

However..... ever since I fitted the coilovers I've noticed when I pull away (either forwards or reverse) I get a strange noise. The best way I can describe it (and it might well be what it sounds like but I have no idea why it would be it) is the coil spring being wound up on itself and then releasing - so you get a creak and then a thunk as it releases.

It's coming from the left hand front side of the car (assuming you're sat in the car - passenger side in the uk)

It only does it under forward/reverse motion - generally after about 1ft or so of travel. It doesn't do it if the car is stationary and I turn the steering and it seems to make no difference if I'm travelling straight or not.

I've checked every single nut and bolt - the top nut on the struts are tight, the drop links are tight - double and triple checked everything.

Initially I thought maybe the tyres were catching the spring or adjuster plate (as it was very close on the original set up) but now it is raised it is well away from the tyre.

I could understand it being spring bind if I was turning and therefore twisting the assembly between its mounts but I don't get why it would do it in a straight line.

Someone help - please!!

Car is 2005 MCS with 80k miles on. Coilovers are AP, replaced the top mounts with New OE

 

Just an idea, but are the top mounts seated correctly? I remember having this issue with my car a while back, the top strut mount/bushing was not seated correctly after installation...

-Jorge

 

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try and drop it out this evening to check for certain. Looking at the threads poking out the top of the tower they are all equal length and match lengths with the other side so I dunno if it will be.

Any chance it could be a knackered cv joint?

 

I am having this same issue with brand new Megan Coilovers just on the opposite side. I don't think its a bad CV joint.

 

Mini coilovers have a LEFT and RIGHT. Make sure they are installed on the right side. Also recommend what Pelican has posted.

 

I don't think so...any luck so far though?

-Jorge

 

So I had it in the garage yesterday for it's MOT and it sailed through that. I decided to swap out the driveshafts for new OE items in the hope it would a: fix the vibration and b: maybe solve the clunk. At the same time I asked them to unbolt the strut top mount just to check it was seated ok.
The old driveshafts didn't seem to be in too bad a shape but as they had done over 80k miles I figured it wouldn't have hurt to replace them and it didn't cost much in labour to do. They also seem to have solved the vibration (whoop whoop)
Obviously, the car didn't make the noise when it was in the garage so they couldn't pin point it, but sure enough reversing out the driveway this morning and everytime i pulled away on the way to work it was there. Just to rub it in, I asked a mate at work at lunch today to have a listen from outside the car and - of course- it wouldn't do it. ARGH - gotta love cars eh?
So I'm really pulling my hair out now. It doesn't look like it is the suspension directly, and it isn't the driveshafts. The only other thing I can think is a sticky brake pad - but I'd be surprised for it to do it after about 1 revolution of the wheel - i'd more expect it to do it straight away. Plus it seems a bit to much of a clunk for a lightweight pad if you see what I mean.

 

do you still have your old drive shafts?

 

Hi, yes I do, although I had to refit the longer one as the replacement failed after 30 miles (intermediate shaft came out of the bearing)

 

If it is a spring binding noise while slow driving and slow turning I had the same issue with my Megan's. Turns out I didn't lock the collars hard enough and it got loose allowing the bottom part of the spring to rotate while turning. Simply tightened up the locking collars on the coils and it was fixed.